A wide array of factors contribute to the incidence of hate crimes. Ignorance and isolation may play a role; most Americans say they do not personally know any Muslims, although those who do report positive views of Muslims in general. The nature of the threat groups of people are perceived to pose can also be a factor; prejudice catalyzed by a terrorist attack, for example, may be particularly likely to inspire hate crimes. Political rhetoric is only one ingredient in that mix, and the many messages in circulation after an attack can make it harder to determine the impact of any one particular reaction from a political leader. Before Trump’s call for a ban on Muslims entering the country, President Obama delivered a speech to the nation on the San Bernardino attack stressing tolerance.
Still, the report looked at daily data following terrorist attacks, and found that “a tolerant statement about Muslims by a political leader was accompanied by a sharp decline in hate crime, while a less tolerant announcement was followed by a precipitous increase in both the severity and number of anti-Muslim hate crimes.” It notes that “there have been very few incidents of actual hate crime where Mr. Trump’s name was uttered since his candidacy,” but adds that “the increase of 87.5% in anti-Muslim hate crime in the days directly following his announcement is a troubling development and worthy of concern.” [...]
Islamophobia existed in America long before Trump. Muslims have long been particularly vulnerable to backlash driven by negative stereotypes in part because they make up a relatively small slice of the overall U.S. population. But when a major-party nominee endorses and reinforces those stereotypes, researchers warn, American Muslims face serious risk of increased marginalization and outright violence. [...]
Still, some Muslim Americans have their frustrations with Clinton. When she condemned Trump’s call for a Muslim ban, she emphasized that it would play into the hands of “radical jihadists.” Advocates caution that political leaders must be careful not to inadvertently amplify potentially stigmatizing associations between Muslim Americans and terrorism. Political leaders should also make clear, they argue, that Islamophobia must be condemned because it denigrates and threatens the lives of American citizens, and not on the grounds that it threatens national security.
No comments:
Post a Comment